U.S. Air Force's top fugitive in custody

  • Published
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFPN) --  A man suspected of the 1994 murder of his wife and unborn child was taken into custody by the Royal Thai Police at approximately 2:30 p.m. Bangkok time today.

A former U.S. Air Force sergeant assigned to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., Saner Wonggoun fled the country in January 1994 when authorities in Marin County, Calif., wanted to question him in the murder investigation of Sopha (Yodpet) Wonggoun and her unborn child, found wrapped in a sleeping bag and dumped along a deserted road off Highway 1 in Marin County.

"This is a great day now that we have the Air Force's number one fugitive in custody," said Brig. Gen. Dana Simmons, commander of Air Force Office of Special Investigations, headquartered at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

"His capture is a culmination of a lot of work done by the Thai government, the local police in California, the State Department, the FBI, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials and some great OSI agents," General Simmons said.

Thai authorities were tipped off to Wonggoun's location after an Oct. 27 press conference released age-progression images and advertised a $25,000 reward for information that led to the capture of the fugitive.

"We're going to continue to work with the Thai government to see this process to final adjudication," General Simmons said. "We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to the Royal Thai Police, who put a lot of effort into this investigation." 

(Courtesy of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Public Affairs)